It's no secret that it takes cultural and political institutions years to catch up with and adjust to the changes in the culture brought about by technology and changing conditions. Seems to me things are now changing so fast that these institutions may never catch up, at least in my lifetime, and just keep us in this perpetual condition of uncertainty and impending chaos.
Obama, more so than any of the others, IMO, has the opportunity to stop the foot dragging and clinging to the ways of the past and move the country and its institutions more into the reality of present day circumstances. I'm wishing him the best and just hope he's got his back covered, because I imagine the resistance to changing just about anything here in the US is going to be fierce.